First Comes Duty, Then Comes Love
by xSapphireAngelx
Summary: A/U - OOC Fic: An encounter between Lady Bulma and Prince Vegeta at Bulma's come out ball starts the beginning of something new. First Comes Duty, Then Comes Love is a story of duty to parents and unexpected love between two people. *IN PROGRESS*
1. Chapter 1

**First Comes Duty, Then Comes Love**

**Chapter One**

Bulma Briefs, daughter of the wealthiest and greatest scientist in the world, Dr Brief, had just turned eighteen. For many ladies, it was the age of when a young lady blossoms into a woman and is ready to seek out a husband. At least, that was how it went for most women of Bulma's time and status. For generations, the women of Bulma's family were obligated to marry at the age of eighteen. They were granted a ball after their birthday as a type of come out ball. All the most eligible bachelors and their families were invited. It was the ball of the season and everyone of the higher class rank were invited.

"Father, why can't we break the tradition? Don't you think it was created in the first place because of different circumstances back in the day? Women were obligated to marry because they weren't allowed to be anything else. Today, it's different. I want to go out and be somebody. I don't just want to be someone's wife for the rest of my life. I'm only 18 for goodness sake!" Bulma complained to her father. They were seated at her father's study and Dr. Brief had just been going over his work when Bulma walked in quietly with a look in her face that meant she wanted something.

Dr. Briefs loved his daughter very much. She was the gift Mrs. Briefs gave to him after she passed away from childbirth complications. From then on, Dr. Briefs promised himself to look after her and always protect her from harm. He had built himself a career that has given him and Bulma a wondrous life. They lived in Capsule Corp., a mansion located in the middle of the city. The mansion was filled with servants always cleaning, cooking, gardening, and doing whatever else the Briefs' family needed. Dr. Briefs was known throughout the world for his greatest invention, the capsules. The capsules were used to turn anything large, such as a house, into a tiny capsule that had a button on it which allowed the user to release the house back into its normal size. Dr. Briefs had proposed the invention to the public at the age of 22 and was soon rewarded with millions of dollars by the age of 23. He looked at Bulma as she spoke. She reminded him so much of her mother.

"Bulma, your mother, her mother, and her mother before that have always followed through with the tradition. We cannot break it. You know it's what your mother had wanted for you before she died," Dr. Briefs explained.

"But father…what if I don't find anyone? What if I am force to marry someone whom I do not love only because it is my duty to be wedded at the age of eighteen? I can't fathom spending the rest of my life with a man I do not love or even care about. What then, father? I will not be happy and it would all be for nothing," Bulma continued.

"Bulma, you will find someone. Your mother found me and we were very much in love when we got married. You just have to be looking for it. If you aren't, then every encounter will be meaningless for you. Bulma, there will be many men at the ball for you who are eligible and will have my approval if one were to be so lucky. I know myself that Sir Bardock and his son, Goku will be there. Not to mention, Yamcha, who is a very fine young fellow for you, darling. And I heard that King Vegeta along with his son, Prince Vegeta will be attending. A prince sweetie, can you believe it? Everyone in the city is talking about it because it's not every day that the two of them come out to a party such as ours. They are higher up in status then we could ever be, but yet they chose to come to your ball. It seems that the Prince has just turned 18 as well and is probably in need of a bride. But, I won't force you into anyone though. In the end, it's all up to you who you decide to marry and I won't interfere with anything," Dr. Briefs spoke. "And one more thing dear, the event will last a week. There will be a ball to kick of the event, then all of the guests will be staying here with us, and the week will end with another ball and hopefully that will give you enough time to decide if you actually find someone interesting."

"Fine, I'll do this ball, but I'm not promising anything father. I'll do my duty to you and the family. Good night," Bulma spoke as she walked up to Dr. Briefs and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She turned around and walked out the door, leaving her father back to his work.

_I have to do this. And it's not like I have to get married right away. I just need to before I turn 19, which is a year away. It's what mother would have wanted for me and I can't do that to her. Father always told me how excited she was to finally meet me days before I was due. I wish I could've met her. She sounds like an angel. _Bulma thought as one of the servants approached her.

"Ma'am, Lady Chi-Chi is here to see you," the servant spoke as she led Bulma to Chi-Chi.

"BULMA!" Chi-Chi shouted as she ran up to Bulma with a hug.

"Oh, Chi-Chi! I'm so glad you've come. I really wanted someone to talk to," Bulma spoke with such excitement at seeing her best friend. Bulma and Chi-Chi had grown up together being that Chi-Chi lived just a mile away. Their families had always been close and it was natural for Bulma and Chi-Chi to be just as close. The two always shared each other's secrets and protected one another from harm. It was in Chi-Chi that Bulma found a friend.

"Well, you can talk to me for as long as you want because I'll be staying here during the course of the event. I had one of the servants bring all of my stuff to the room next to yours. I know I'm a little bit early, but I was too excited to just wait at home. Plus, I wanted to help you find your gown for the ball and it's not like I'm super early. It's just in two days and I should have the privilege of coming earlier than the other guests, right?" Chi-Chi said with smiles all across her face.

"Of course you do! That is such a wonderful idea. I do need someone to help me pick out my gown. I'm surprised I didn't think about that myself," Bulma replied as the two headed upstairs to Bulma's room. Bulma had one of the biggest rooms in the house. It had a balcony that provided a beautiful sight at night. Bulma loved to sit out in her balcony and listen to the sounds of the city at night. It was where she found peace.

"So, I heard that all sorts of men will be attending the ball. I heard Goku will be there. Oh, he is just so handsome. You are so lucky to have him be there for you. He would make such a fine husband!" Chi-Chi said as she took a seat on Bulma's bed.

"Yea, he is handsome, but I think that he would be a better match for you Chi-Chi. I don't see why not. He is charming and very polite and the two of you would be great together. Although, I've never really talked to him, I could tell all this based on what I've heard from people," Bulma replied.

"Aww Bulma, that's sweet of you to say. Oh, and I heard Yamcha will be there too and he is a catch. All the ladies love him and would do anything to be in your place right now," Chi-Chi continued as she started to name off the men who were invited to the event. "Then there's Prince Vegeta. I've heard that he has quite the attitude and is far from polite. It's a shame because he is quite hot. He just has that whole dangerous, hot look going for him. Definitely not my type, I'd rather have a sweet, polite gentleman. He might be more of your taste, huh?"

"I don't know what my taste is, Chi-Chi. I mean, I've never really had a boyfriend before. I don't know what to expect. I'm just going to go there and see my choices and hopefully I will find one that is appealing to me," Bulma responded with a shrug.

"You make it sound like we're choosing food!" Chi-Chi said as they both looked at each other and laughed.

"Yea, I guess so!" Bulma choked with laughter.

__

"Vegeta, you are to attend this ball whether you want to or not. You need to find a wife, son," King Vegeta spoke as Vegeta lazily looked him in the eye.

"I don't understand why I need a wife, father. Why can't I just have fun for now? I'm only 18," Vegeta replied as he eyed his father. Not many people could look at King Vegeta in the way Vegeta looks at his father. Some don't even look at him at all out of fear. Just like King Vegeta, Vegeta had the same look as his father. The one that no one dared look at unless they were brave enough to do so. One look into both father and son sent chills down a person's body. Both eyes were cold as ice. It was hard to read what they were thinking.

"It is your duty to be married and to produce an heir. I want to leave this world knowing that my son will be ready to take on my place and have a son who will learn from him along the way," King Vegeta spoke sharply.

"I know. I know, father. It's always about duty and all that comes along with it. Well, I guess I can have a little fun along the way. Who will the girl be anyway?" Vegeta asked giving up knowing that he will not be winning against his father. Once his father made a decision for him, it was final. He had no choice but to do as he was told.

"The young lady is Bulma Briefs. She is the daughter of Dr. Briefs. Although she is not who I normally would've chosen for you, she has my approval in case she decides upon you. Her father is a very wealthy man. Not to mention his scientific background. Our families combined would be a great match. Power and intelligence is just the way I like it," King Vegeta replied with a smirk across his face.

"And if I can't win her love? What if she can't win my affection? What then, father? You know, I don't believe in love. How would this even work, father? I wouldn't even know how to begin," Vegeta spoke.

"Love is not a necessity for a marriage to work out. Only an agreement between the two is sufficient," King Vegeta responded as he looked away. Vegeta knew that what his father had said was not true. Growing up, Vegeta watched as his father showered his mother with affection. He saw the love they had for each other. Then one day, she got sick and died. Vegeta watched as his father turned colder and gave up on all hope he had for love. King Vegeta always reminded him that love never lasted and that it fades away and dies, just like his mother.

Vegeta just stared at his father before deciding to leave the room. "The ball is in two days, son!" King Vegeta called out after him as he watched Vegeta leave the room.

_I don't need love. _Vegeta thought to himself as a punched to his back caught him by surprise. His reaction was to punch back.

"OW! That hurt, Vegeta!" Goku shouted as he caressed the spot Vegeta had punched him at. "I didn't even hit you that hard!"

"You shouldn't have hit me to begin with. You know I always punch back. What do you want, Kakarot?" Vegeta asked as he continued to walk away, Goku following close behind him.

"Well, I heard you are going to the ball too. Aren't you excited Vegeta? There's going to be so many pretty ladies to look at. Not to mention Bulma. She is quiet beautiful, but not as beautiful as Chi-Chi. Oh, I've been waiting to finally speak with her. She's just so dreamy," Goku spoke with a huge grin on his face. "I think I'm in love."

"Kakarot, you are ridiculous. In love with someone you never even met with. Pathetic," Vegeta replied. Kakarot was Goku's real name and only Vegeta called him that. The two had an odd friendship, but were there for each other when need be. Goku's father and Vegeta's father were old friends, so the two have known each other since they were little kids. Goku knew what made Vegeta angry, but knew how to control his friend's temper at the same time. He was never offended by Vegeta's rude comments toward him knowing very well that they were almost never true. In turn, Vegeta liked how Goku was a good, loyal friend to him regardless of the way he acted.

"Love or not, I will speak to her," Goku spoke as the two walked. _Bulma Briefs. I don't think I've ever seen her. We only hope she is somewhat decent looking. _Vegeta thought as Goku continued to talk about Chi-Chi. _This is ridiculous._


	2. Chapter 2

**First Comes Duty, Then Comes Love**

**Chapter Two**

"Bulma! Wake up! It's time to go shopping for your gowns," Chi-Chi shouted as she jumped onto Bulma's bed. Bulma turned to her side to avoid her friend's attempt at waking her. Seeing her shift positions, Chi-Chi headed towards the window and slowly moved the curtains away to let light pour into the room. This change in lighting caused Bulma to finally open her eyes.

"Jeez Chi-Chi, that's bright. Why are you always trying to wake people up?" Bulma asked as she sat up and adjusted her eyes to the new light in the room.

"We need to get an early start today. There's so many planning going on today and I do not want to be in the house while the event coordinator screams at the servants about something being the wrong color," Chi-Chi explained as Bulma and her both giggled at the thought of how the scene would play out.

"Well, you do have a point," Bulma finally answered with a sigh.

After an hour of waiting, Bulma finally emerged into the family room dressed up for the day in a yellow spring dress. Bulma had long, wavy blue hair and fair skin. She was tall and slender and was always reminded of her beauty ever since she was a little girl. There were many men who wanted to date her, but her father always turned them away, telling them to wait until she had reached the right age.

"Are you finally ready?" Chi-Chi spoke with relief as she got up from the couch. She had been waiting for Bulma for the past hour and was just about to rush into Bulma's room to get her out.

"Let's go!" Bulma spoke as they headed out the door.

Since it was a beautiful day out, the two decided to walk to the dress boutique. Bulma wanted some fresh air anyway. She needed time to think about tomorrow. She was finally 18 and had been looking forward to this day ever since she was a little girl. Her father always told her stories of the balls he's attended and Bulma couldn't wait to have hers. It wasn't until recently that Bulma held a different opinion about come out balls. She realized this when she decided that she wasn't ready to be a wife. She just wanted to have fun. No strings attached. She can still follow through with it and fulfill her mother's wish, but she was afraid to be married to someone whom she didn't love. That was the hardest part for her to accept. She felt like she didn't have a choice in the matter. She could always follow through with the tradition and have the ball, but not have any intentions of marrying someone. Perhaps, she can convince her father within the year that she truly has not fallen in love with any of her suitors and can't follow through with marriage. _Yes, that's right! Who says I have to fall in love? Father said I have a year to decide. Well, I should just tell him that a year wasn't enough and that I need more time to think. I'm sure he'll understand the situation. This way, I can at least do the ball for mother. _Bulma thought as relief started to pour through her.

"EARTH TO BULMA! Are you even listening to me?" Chi-Chi shouted as she waved her hands in front of Bulma, causing her to stop in her tracks.

"Oh yea…err….what were you saying again?" Bulma asked oblivious to what Chi-Chi had been talking about during their walk.

"I said…have you ever heard of the saiyan race?" Chi-Chi asked again hoping to finally get a response from Bulma.

"Yes, I have. My father told me about them when I was a little girl. He says that King Vegeta is the King of all saiyans and moved to Earth after his planet got destroyed all those years ago. Since then, King Vegeta has been an influential saiyan here in our city and no one dares to go against him because of the enormous strength saiyans are rumored to have. No human could ever be as strong. I also heard that they get stronger through continuous training," Bulma replied, not expecting to tell Chi-Chi a lot more than she had intended to say.

"Wow, I didn't know you knew so much about them. I only asked because I heard that Goku is possibly a saiyan as well," Chi-Chi said. "Not that it bothers me or anything, I was just afraid that he might not like me. You know, being an earthling and all."

"Oh, don't be silly Chi-Chi. I personally don't see any differences between a saiyan and a human. As for Goku, I believe he is a saiyan too. My father told me that his family and the Vegeta family are the only existing saiyan families left in this universe. They are both powerful families. King Vegeta runs many businesses, owns many lands, and is highly respected here. He still holds his title as king even though he doesn't have any authority to rule us. With the strength saiyans are supposed to have, I'm surprised he hasn't taken over yet, but I think it's because he's already content with all the riches he has. He might as well be a king though with the way he runs this city. He practically controls half of it with the power he has," Bulma continued as they finally reached the boutique.

"Imagine Bulma how your life will be if you marry Vegeta. He is a prince after all, not to mention hot," Chi-Chi said as she winked at her friend.

"Too bad he doesn't have the best attitude from what I've heard," Bulma replied looking through a rack filled with dresses. "Enough talk about the ball and the men who will be there, let's find me a dress."

"Remember Bulma, you'll need two gowns, not one. There will be two balls," Chi-Chi reminded Bulma as she too looked through the dress racks.

It took awhile before Bulma finally decided on her evening gowns. She made sure to make the last one more dramatic than the first one. The first gown was a nice emerald color that went to her feet and showed every curve of her body. It was a tube top gown with a little bow tied at the back. She grabbed matching heels and a pair of long white gloves to go with the dress. The gown she chose for the last ball was even prettier than the first. It was a rich blue gown that reached her feet as well. Instead of a tube top, it was a sleeveless gown with a low neckline that had ruffles on it. The gown was fitted and had a slit on the right hand side of her leg. Bulma fell in love with the dress as soon as she saw it hanging by the door. She knew that it would be perfect for the last ball. She bought matching heels to go with it and completed her purchase. After an hour or so, Bulma and Chi-Chi were walking out of the boutique.

"Well best friend, I have to say that we did great!" Chi-Chi said excitedly as she pushed the door that led outside open. "I think I'm going to grab some food for us. Do you want to wait here while I go to the diner across the street? I'll be back in a second!"

Bulma watched as Chi-Chi walked off without even waiting for a response. She laughed to herself as she set her gowns down on a bench near the boutique. As she turned around to look out for Chi-Chi, she was taken aback by a sudden push as she fell back onto the bench.

"Hey! Watch it mister!" Bulma yelled out as she got back up from the bench to see who had pushed her.

"Perhaps you need to get out of the way, so you will not accidently get hit," Vegeta spoke. _Not bad for an earthling. This one looks nice. _He thought as he eyed her up and down.

"Are you checking me out? Who the hell do you think you are?" Bulma spoke as she slapped him across the face. Vegeta didn't flinch. Shocked and angry, Bulma grabbed her gowns and headed towards the diner to get Chi-Chi without even looking back. _What a jerk! _Bulma thought as she approached her friend.

"Bulma! What do you think you're doing? You just slapped Prince Vegeta in the face!" Chi-Chi spoke softly as she pointed at Vegeta.

"Oh my god, it is him. I guess I wasn't really thinking straight. That jerk pushed me and then did the typical guy thing to do, which was very offending," Bulma replied.

"You should be flattered. He is a lot hotter than I thought. Hide!" Chi-Chi shouted unexpectedly as Bulma and Chi-Chi both walked away from the window.

"Why are we hiding?" Bulma asked as Chi-Chi pointed back to Vegeta again.

"It's Goku!" Chi-Chi replied with a smile.

Bulma watched as Vegeta was joined by another man. After they exchanged greetings, the two stood there for a second as if they were discussing something before turning to look at the diner. Bulma grabbed Chi-Chi and pulled her away from the window. She had noticed Chi-Chi slowly creeping toward the window to get a better look at Goku.

"Do you think they are gone?" Bulma asked as Chi-Chi started to giggle.

"I don't know, let's look!" She suggested as she crept toward the window again to get another peek. "They're gone!"

Trusting her friend's words, Bulma slowly headed toward the window to peek as well. Sure enough, Vegeta and Goku weren't by the bench anymore and were now walking down the street that led away from them.

"I feel like a little girl," Bulma spoke as she finally got up from where she was sitting. Everyone at the diner were giving them weird glances, but went back to their meal after seeing Bulma and Chi-Chi get back up.

"Let's hope we don't act like this tomorrow at the ball!" Chi-Chi replied as they finally got in line to order food.

__

"Wait! So, she slapped you after you accidently ran into her?" Goku asked Vegeta with a big grin on his face.

"Shut up, Kakarot! Now come, we need to get our tuxedos for tomorrow," Vegeta responded with a grunt.

"Hahahaha, you got slapped by a girl you don't even know!" Goku continued as he followed Vegeta into the shop, still laughing. "Man, I wish I saw that. If only I was there a second earlier."

_How dare she slap me? Does she not know who I am? I am Prince Vegeta. Everyone knows me. _Vegeta thought angrily as he grabbed the first tux he saw and headed toward the cashier.

"Hey Vegeta! How does this look?" Goku asked as he held up a tux on him.

"Ridiculous! I'm done, let's go," Vegeta replied as he threw cash onto the counter and headed toward the door.

"But Vegeta…I want to look good. Chi-Chi is going to be there for goodness sake! Can you believe we are going to be there for a week? I really hope Chi-Chi finds me somewhat interesting. I'm so excited!" Goku spoke. "I hope Bulma doesn't get offended because I'm really there for Chi-Chi and not her. Aren't they best friends or something? Um…Vegeta? Where did you go?

Vegeta had walked out the door while Goku was talking and stood in front of the shop, only to see Bulma and Chi-Chi walking out of the diner. Both were eating and laughing.

_Who is she? _He thought as he continued to stare. _I must find out._


	3. Chapter 3

**First Comes Duty, Then Comes Love**

**Chapter Three**

It was finally time for the ball. Bulma could hear the event coordinator yelling downstairs and could only laugh at how serious the coordinator was about the event. Earlier that day, Bulma had gotten yelled at when she touched one of the flower arrangements on the table. After that incident, she knew to keep her distance away from the coordinator and turned to her room. Bulma had been up in her room working on a gadget since then. She had just completed a piece before realizing what time it was. The ball was going to start in half an hour. _I can't believe I procrastinated this much._ She thought to herself. _Chi-Chi didn't even come and get me._ Last she heard from her friend was after lunch. Chi-Chi had said that she needed to get some things from home that she forgot and should be back in time before the ball. _Perhaps she's still there. _Bulma placed her tools into her drawer and started to get dress.

"Bulma, where are you?" Chi-Chi asked as she barged into Bulma's room. "They need you downstairs! All the guests are arriving and you're not there to greet them."

"Where have you been, Chi-Chi?" Bulma replied as she placed an earring in one of her ear.

"You're hair! You're going to be late!" Chi-Chi continued to speak as she approached Bulma and started to fix her hair. "I've been back like an hour ago. I assumed you were getting ready, that's why I didn't bother you. When you didn't come out thirty minutes before the event, while all the guests were entering…I had to check up on you."

"Yea, I got kind of carried away with a project. I hope father is not upset with me," Bulma replied as they heard a knock on the door. "Come in!"

Dr. Briefs came in dressed up in a black tuxedo. "Bulma, I had a feeling you weren't ready. You're guests are looking for you. King Vegeta and his son have arrived and were looking for you, but here you are…half ready. Oh, and Yamcha has arrived as well and is eager to see you. Just hurry up, sweetie…please," He spoke. "By the way, you both look great." He smiled at the two of them and headed out the door.

__

Half an hour after they arrived, there was still no sign of Bulma. Vegeta was beginning to get impatient as he eyed all the other men there who were waiting patiently with their families.

"What's taking that woman so long to get down here?" Vegeta asked his father.

"Patience, son…she'll be out soon enough," King Vegeta replied as he turned back to Bardock to continue on with their conversation.

"Man, they are taking a long time, aren't they?" Goku spoke as more guests continued to enter the ballroom. This time, a group of ladies entered. They were all giggling amongst each other as they looked around at their surroundings. Once they finished talking to each other, they all went their separate ways and approached some of the other guests to mingle. One of the ladies with long, blonde hair approached Goku, while a red-headed lady came up to Vegeta.

"You're Goku, right? My…oh my, you are quite handsome. I'm Mandy, by the way. Are you here for Bulma or for the event? You know, it's not every day that we get to attend such a fancy ball. Not to mention, it's going to be a week-long event," Mandy spoke as she twirled her hair flirtatiously at him.

"Well…I guess I'm not really here for Bulma…" Goku started to say before he was cut off by Mandy.

"Great…perhaps we'll get to know each other more throughout the week," She spoke with a wink.

Goku looked at her with a confused look on his face and started to scratch his head. He turned towards Vegeta only to see him caught up in a conversation with someone as well. Or at least, the girl was talking and Vegeta looked bored.

"I'm Morgan, your highness," She spoke as she clumsily gave him a curtsy. "Aren't these balls such a drag? I mean, what girl would host a ball all for the purpose of finding a husband. I mean, Bulma isn't that great looking and no one here would want her. She's just rich. I'm way prettier than her and you're really hot. How about we leave now and have a party of our own. I don't think I can stand staying here for a week."

"Tempting, but I will have to decline. I intend to stay here for a week. Now, if you'll excuse me…I'm waiting for someone," Vegeta responded turning his head away from her. He noticed that someone else had entered the ballroom. _It's that annoying pest, Yamcha. I should've known he'd be here as well._

"Well, I'll see you around…I guess. Oh look! It's Yamcha," She said excitedly as she walked away from Vegeta and headed toward Yamcha. A few of the other ladies noticed his arrival too. Each of them left the person they were talking with in order to greet Yamcha.

"Look at this guy! He has them all coming to him," Goku started to say as he approached Vegeta. He was relieved to see Mandy walk away from him to talk to Yamcha.

"This wait is starting to annoy me, Kakarot," Vegeta spoke with frustration.

"Yea, they are taking awhile. I wonder why. But hey, I'm going to get us something to drink. I'll be right back," Goku replied as he walked away heading for the table full of assorted drinks.

With Goku gone and his father still in the middle of a conversation with Bardock, Vegeta decided to take a seat. It seemed that the guest of honor will be running late. He couldn't help but think about the incident yesterday with the blue-haired girl. Normally, he wouldn't let anyone get away with even tapping him, but he was too in shock after she slapped him so suddenly. He was only checking her out after all. He didn't realize she would get offended by such a gesture. _Women giggle and smile when I talk to them, let alone look at them. Most women are flattered to even have the chance to receive any attention from me. Just like that Morgan lady. She isn't bad looking at all. It was very brave of her to come up to me and give such a tempting offer. Too bad for her, father wants me to marry this Bulma woman…with or without love…either way, this should be quite interesting. How easy of a task for me to do. One look at me and she'll come begging for me to marry her. _Vegeta thought to himself with a smirk on his face. _I don't need to love her. I just need a wife and like father said, she will be perfect for the part with her status._

"Here Vegeta, drink up! It's going to be a long night of fun," Goku said as he handed Vegeta a glass of wine. "I heard over at the drink table that Yamcha is determined to win Bulma's heart. It seems you'll be having competition. Imagine that. This time, I doubt you can force anyone into anything," He added laughing.

"Yamcha…you mean, that blasted bastard over there?" Vegeta responded as he pointed over to where Yamcha was sitting. He was surrounded by many women. "Bulma will choose me in the end, just you see."

"And if she doesn't?" Goku asked taking a sip of his wine.

"Oh, she will. She will, Kakarot. I'll make sure she does," Vegeta replied with a smirk. _Yamcha won't even have a chance as soon as I get her attention. _

"You are way too competitive. Your father only said that you needed a wife and that Bulma is a good candidate for the job. He never said that she is the ONLY lady out there for you. Even if you don't win her affection, I'm sure that there are many women out there who will want to be your wife," Goku said.

"No, Bulma is who I've chosen," Vegeta replied. "I will win this one."

"You haven't even met her before. You don't even know how she looks like," Goku continued to say.

"You said she's good looking. That's good enough for me. You know I like them pretty," Vegeta started to say as he was interrupted by an announcement from Dr. Briefs.

__

"Keep still, Bulma. I'm almost done with your makeup. Let me just say, your hair is looking amazing," Chi-Chi said stepping back to admire her work. "Can you believe I did all this in under an hour?"

"Yes, trust me…I believe it. When you want something done fast Chi-Chi, you make sure that it happens. Now, let me take a look," Bulma replied getting up from where she was sitting. She walked over to her mirror and smiled. "Now, that's what I'm talking about. Excellent work…best friend," She added turning away from the mirror and walking up to Chi-Chi to give her a hug. "By the way, you look magnificent yourself."

"Thanks!" Chi-Chi responded.

There was a knock on the door and this time a servant came in to get them. "Lady Bulma, your father is waiting and so are all the guests. He told me to come get you, ready or not."

"Tell him we'll be out…thanks," Bulma ordered as the servant nodded her head and headed out the door.

"Okay, I'm going to head on out. I'll see you out there," Chi-Chi spoke hurriedly as she quickly walked out of the room.

Bulma watched her friend leave and turned back at the mirror. She was really happy with the way Chi-Chi did her hair and makeup. She couldn't have done it any better. It was times like these when she appreciated her friend more than anything. Chi-Chi was always looking out for her and she was thankful for that. Without Chi-Chi, Bulma knew that she would be lost. Not wanting to waste any more time, Bulma lifted her dress to not trip on it and headed toward the ballroom where everyone was waiting for her.

__

Dr. Briefs made his way to the front of the ballroom to make his announcement. His servant had just informed him that Bulma was on her way. He didn't want to keep all the guests waiting anymore. They all seemed to be growing impatient.

"Thank you all for coming tonight and for those who will be staying with us for the week. Your luggage have been placed into our guestrooms and my servants will direct you to your rooms when the night is over. As you know, Bulma has just turned 18 and as our tradition goes, this ball is more than just a birthday celebration. One of you lucky guys over here will have the opportunity of courting my daughter. The lucky man who wins her heart will have my approval to propose marriage to her. Now, in the end, my daughter will choose with whom she wants to be with, so I appreciate it if no one tries anything to force her into a marriage. You are all respectful gentlemen and I hope you give my daughter the same respect you give me. The week will consist of different events that will be held where you can spend some time with my daughter. You men should definitely take advantage of those days. I want you to know that there's a possibility that Bulma might not fall for any of you, so don't expect that one of you will definitely win her affection. This is supposed to be a fun week and let's all have fun. Now, without further delay, I'm proud to present my daughter, Bulma," Dr. Briefs spoke into the microphone excitedly. All the guests gathered around him to see Bulma's entrance.

Bulma quickly made her way to the ballroom at the sound of her father's announcement. She wasn't sure if she was going to make it in time. She didn't want it to be awkward, so she walked a little quicker and came out into the ballroom just as he said her name. She was overwhelmed with the amount of people there and could only smile at everyone as they turned to look at her. There were many men present and she eyed each and every one of them. There were handsome ones and then there were ones that didn't look so much her type. She was going to give them all a chance regardless, so it didn't matter to her anyway. She didn't plan on marrying any of them. She saw Chi-Chi standing near her father with a huge smile on her face. Bulma waved at her friend before moving forward. She continued to scan the room and stopped. She remembered Goku's face from the other day and saw him standing next to Vegeta. _Crap, I forgot he was invited too. _She thought as he stared back at her with a look she couldn't really make out.

_It's that blasted woman from the other day. _Vegeta thought as he heard Dr. Briefs speak again.

"Now, King Vegeta has asked me earlier to have Prince Vegeta give Bulma her first dance," Dr. Briefs spoke happily into the microphone. The crowd opened a pathway for Bulma, and then turned to look at Vegeta, waiting for him to walk to her. All the other men looked on at Vegeta with envy. They were most likely angry at themselves for not thinking of asking Dr. Briefs first.

_Damnit father!_ Vegeta thought as he made his way to her.


	4. Chapter 4

**First Comes Duty, Then Comes Love**

**Chapter Four**

_Just great! Of all people for me to dance with, why does it have to be him?_ Bulma thought as she waited for Vegeta to reach her. _He looks a little bit intimidating, but he sure does clean up nicely. Oh, shut up, Bulma! _

At the instructions of the conductor, members of the orchestra got into their proper positions and waited for the conductor to signal them to start. The crowd formed a circle around the ballroom in order to make room for the two and waited patiently for Vegeta to lead Bulma onto the dance floor. Seeing the conductor's signal, the orchestra started to play the waltz. Bulma had learned the waltz growing up. It was one of the main dances her father wanted her to master because it was the first dance song she would have to dance to at her ball. She had always been a fan of other people dancing the waltz and was excited to finally be able to show her skills. Bulma started to feel nervous as Vegeta took her hand. He was the first man she's ever danced with, excluding her father and trainers of course. Since the waltz is an elegant and intimate dance, she wasn't sure how intimate she wanted to get with the Prince.

"We meet again…Bulma," Vegeta spoke as they started to dance. "Don't think I forgot about the other day. How's your hand feeling by the way?"

"My hands are just fine, jerk," She replied as she forced a smile to not let the other guests suspect anything. "Please tell me you are not staying here all week."

"Of course I am. I need a wife and this event seems to be the one that will bring me one. There are many women here, so I have tons to choose from," Vegeta answered with a smirk.

"You are a pig! Why marry if you don't even love the person you have chosen? What's the point? It would just be lust," Bulma spoke angrily.

"Love or lust, it doesn't matter to me. As long as I come here and accomplish my goal…that's all I need to do. You should be flattered because you are on the top of my list. Don't worry, I forgive you for hitting me," Vegeta said as he placed a hand on the spot where Bulma had slapped him.

Other guests started to make way onto the dance floor. Bulma noticed Goku had made his way to Chi-Chi and they were both smiling and laughing together as they waltz away.

"Love is important to a marriage. Without love, there wouldn't be happiness. I for one would want to find a husband who will love me for as long as we shall live. Don't think that I will choose you for any reason unless the feeling between us is mutual. If I'm on the top of your list, you would have to work harder than sweet talking to take my hand in marriage. Though it doesn't matter anyway, I don't plan on falling in love with anyone. I'm just doing this for my father and to fulfill my mother's dying wish. Save yourself for someone who sees the world as you because I clearly don't," Bulma responded as she turned away from him.

Vegeta moved closer to her ear and whispered, ignoring her statement. "You find me attractive, don't you? I'm sure that will be enough to win your heart."

Moving her ear away from his mouth, Bulma started to speak again. "Oh please, I would never fall for someone like you. All you seem to care about is yourself. Perhaps, Yamcha over there might change my mind about marriage? He seems to be quite the gentleman."

"I think you are lying. You wouldn't want a cheating bastard. Plus, I'm something Yamcha will never be. You see, I have a secret. Want to know what my secret is?" Vegeta continued to speak, ignoring Bulma's comment about Yamcha.

"I don't like secrets and I don't like you. The only reason why were still dancing is because the music hasn't ended. I can't wait to be rid of you," Bulma said.

"Ever heard of sai…" Vegeta was cut off as Bulma pulled away. Without even a word, she made her way toward Yamcha. The song had ended, he realized. _Stupid! Why is this one tougher than the others? What does she see in that Yamcha guy anyway? I didn't even know they were already acquainted. _He thought as he watched Bulma walk up to Yamcha. The two seemed to have started a conversation already. It wasn't long until he saw Bulma laughing. She couldn't even smile at him. _I will not go down without a fight. I am Prince Vegeta and I will have what I want. _

Bulma turned to look at Vegeta as he stared back at her angrily. She continued to laugh and turned her attention back to Yamcha. _Prince my ass…that's the only dance he'll be getting from me tonight. Yamcha is super cute. I hope the rumors about him being a ladies' man isn't true. That would be a waste. _She thought as Yamcha continued to speak.

"Would you like to dance with me, Lady Bulma?" Yamcha asked with a grin.

"I would love to," She replied as he took her hand and they headed for the dance floor.

"Tell me something about you," Yamcha spoke.

_Nice, a man who cares to know me and is not just attracted to my looks or money. _"Well, I love to invent little gadgets. I'm actually working on this new gadget which…" Bulma was cut off by a red-headed girl whom she did not know.

"Yamcha, you said you would dance with me first. Why are you with her?" Morgan said in a whining tone.

"Oh, I'm sorry Morgan. Bulma…I did promise her. I will dance with you soon though! Bye!" Yamcha spoke as he gave Bulma a quick kiss on the cheek and walked away with Morgan.

"Great!" Bulma could only say as they walked off. _Here I thought he would turn out to be the guy to change my opinion about marriage, but he is just nice to everyone. Perhaps, the rumors about him are true. But then again, I can't really judge him based off of one incident. _Bulma thought. Her thoughts were interrupted by another suitor asking her to dance with him. _I guess there's no time for resting._ She nodded at him and they started to dance with all the other people on the dance floor. Bulma was not interested with the man she was dancing with and could only nod in agreement every time he said something. She wasn't even sure herself what she was nodding to and decided to pay attention just in case she set herself up for something she didn't want to do.

"So that's why many people fear King Vegeta. He is a strong saiyan and my father said he saw him training one day in their home and he could not believe his eyes. He even said that he flew up into the sky and continued training from up there. I obviously did not believe him when he said that. He probably mistook jumping for flying. Father tends to over-exaggerate every once in awhile," Randall, the man she was dancing with explained.

"Oh, is that so? Now, is his son Vegeta the same way?" Bulma asked curiously.

Just as Randall was about to answer her question, the song had ended and someone else came up to Bulma and asked her to dance with him. Not wanting to be rude, she excused herself from Randall and took the new guy's hand and they began to dance. Bulma was beginning to get tired of the constant switching between men and just wanted to get away. This time, the guy was definitely not talking about anything interesting. All he could talk about was how great their future would be together if she married him. He explained that he would be one of the luckiest in the world and every man will be jealous of him. Bulma could only roll her eyes every time she saw him glance away. She couldn't stand dancing with him anymore and told him that she was tired and wanted to rest. After politely rejecting his offer to accompany her, Bulma walked away from him only to run into Yamcha before she made it to the doors.

"Bulma, I'm so sorry I had to leave you like that. I feel horrible! Will you be so kind to dance with me again?" Yamcha asked as he took her hand and kissed the top of it.

"Oh Yamcha, that would be nice. Could you just wait for a little bit though? I would like to get some fresh air first," Bulma answered pulling her hand away from him.

"Well, I'll make sure to approach you as soon as you return," Yamcha replied with a wink. "Till then…" He added before bowing.

Bulma smiled at him and then headed for the doors that led outside of the ballroom and into her family garden. She wanted to get fresh air. It was starting to get stuffy in there. She had danced with four guys and wanted to take a break. It seemed as if so much was happening already. _First, there was Randall, he clearly knows a lot about the Vegeta family. Then, there's that one guy who remains nameless to me and was only interested in himself. Then, there's Yamcha who is sweet, but too sweet to everyone. Finally, there's Vegeta who is just too confident in marrying me…that jerk!_ There were still many men to dance with, but Vegeta and Yamcha had stuck out to her. Even so, she wasn't sure why Vegeta was making such an impression on her. _Well, he is really hot. Who says I can't have a little fun with the two anyway. I'm here to have fun after all. No commitments and no falling in love. Not yet…at least. _Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps.

Vegeta noticed Bulma had left the room after speaking rather briefly with Yamcha. _That idiot doesn't know when to stop. _He thought as he followed after Bulma, passing Goku and Chi-Chi in the process. The two seemed to be having a great time together. As he walked outside and into the garden, he saw Bulma sitting in the far corner by herself. She seemed to be in good thought. He waited a bit before walking towards her. He wanted to admire her from afar first. After all, she was to be his wife soon. After awhile, he approached her slowly, trying his best not to make any noise. Too late, she had heard him and turned to face him.

"What are you doing out here? You aren't following me, are you?" Bulma inquired.

"Maybe I was. Maybe I wasn't. What happened to your friend Yamcha?" Vegeta replied, taking a seat next to her. This was an odd scene for him because he wasn't sure himself why he even went after her. He could've just waited for her to come back in and then make some move, but yet he decided to follow her outside instead. He wanted the privacy and didn't want any distractions from the other guys.

"Yamcha made a commitment to dance with Morgan and it was only right for him to follow through with it. He's a good guy and he keeps his word. It wasn't that big of a deal and he made up for it by stopping me before I headed out here to ask me to dance with him again. I told him that I will and he's waiting for me to return to the ballroom," Bulma spoke turning away from him. _Why am I acting like this? Why I am trying to make him jealous? He doesn't even care about love. He only cares about fulfilling his duty by marrying me. _Bulma thought feeling annoyed at the fact. _But then again, what am I doing? I'm doing this for duty. In fact, I won't even be following through with it because I don't plan on marrying anyone. Perhaps, he's better at fulfilling duty than I ever will. At least, he'll do whatever it takes. _

"You can do so much better than Yamcha. Why choose him when you can get a Prince?" Vegeta asked.

"Why choose a Prince whom I don't love over someone who I could love?" Bulma replied.

"Love is such a strong word, even for you. It's unpredictable and shouldn't be planned," Vegeta replied.

"Trust me, I understand that. That's why I do not intend on marrying anyone from this event…unless they can change my mind," Bulma said slowly.

"How?" Vegeta asked curiously.

"By winning my heart…that's the only way I would marry someone," Bulma replied quietly before turning to face Vegeta. She looked into his eyes and felt something within her change. There was more to him than meets the eye. There was something behind his icy stare that Bulma wanted to know more about, but didn't know if she should dare look into it. She wasn't sure what was coming over her, but she wanted to hold him. She moved slightly closer to him and took his face into her hand. Vegeta was speechless and didn't know how to react. Here was Bulma, making a move on him and he was just looking at her dumbfounded. _What was I thinking coming out here like this?_ Bulma leaned closer to him and whispered into his ear instead of kissing him.

"You find me attractive don't you? Perhaps, that would be enough to win your heart. But I need more than attraction. You would have to work harder than this," Bulma whispered quietly as she stood up from the bench and quickly turned away from him. She walked away and headed back to the ballroom without looking back, leaving a stunned Prince Vegeta to ponder on what just happened.


	5. Chapter 5

**First Comes Duty, Then Comes Love**

**Chapter Five**

Vegeta could not believe what had just happened. First he felt like he was the one in control and then all of a sudden, she took control of him. How could he let such a thing happen? He's supposed to make her fall head over heels for him not the other way around. He was definitely attracted to her. She was appealing to him and he wanted to make sure she knew it. He doesn't need to be in love with her. She can just believe that he is and that should be sufficient. She will never have to know. _I should probably get back in before that Yamcha makes another move and really steal her away._ He thought as he got up from his seat and walked back into the ballroom. He searched around the room for Bulma, but could not find her. He saw Goku and Chi-Chi and headed towards them to ask where Bulma went.

"Kakarot, did you see where Bulma went?" Vegeta asked.

"No, I didn't. Chi-Chi and I were too distracted with each other to even pay attention to our surroundings," Goku spoke as he gave Chi-Chi a huge grin. Chi-Chi giggled before turning to Vegeta and saying that she thought she saw Bulma walk off with Yamcha. After getting the information he wanted, Vegeta left the two love birds alone and went to find Bulma. Sure enough, she was with Yamcha and the two were dancing. She seemed happy, but there was something about her that didn't sit right with him. She almost seemed to be faking her smile. She seemed more annoyed than pleased. _I wonder what that idiot Yamcha did to her_. _Whatever it is, he better keep it up. I need him to be out of the way._ He thought as he slowly approached them.

As soon as Bulma walked back into the ballroom, she made sure to find Yamcha. He promised her a dance after all and he seemed to be the type to follow through with a promise. After searching a minute or so, she saw him still talking to Morgan. They seemed to be intimate with each other and she wasn't sure if she would be intruding on anything if she walked up to them. She decided to wait until they were done before approaching him. While watching them talk, she saw Yamcha place a hand on Morgan's shoulder and leaned over to whisper in her ear. She watched as Morgan giggled and pushed him away flirtatiously. Finally, Yamcha leaned in closer again and kissed her on the lips. It was a passionate kiss because Morgan wrapped her arms around him and started to kiss back with the same fierceness he was showing towards her. Bulma felt her stomach drop and felt disgusted. _This is what they've been telling me about Yamcha. I should've known he was a dirt bag._ She thought as she turned away to look over at Goku and Chi-Chi. The two were just having a great time and she didn't want to pull Chi-Chi aside yet. She wanted her friend to enjoy her time with Goku. They seemed to be the perfect match. After another minute or so, Bulma watched as Yamcha released his embrace with Morgan and looked around to make sure no one was looking before walking away from her with a smile placed on both their faces.

Thinking that the coast was clear, Yamcha headed towards a table and sat down. It took him awhile before he realized that Bulma was already in the room. He didn't think anyone saw what he and Morgan did just a minute ago. Bulma didn't seem like she saw either because she smiled at him from afar. He saw this as his cue to offer his dance again and walked up to her with a smile on his face as well. Bulma watched as he slowly approached her thinking to herself. _One dance and that's all for you buddy. You disgust me._ _But, Vegeta seems to see you as his competition. Perhaps I can use you to make him jealous or better yet, give up. _She thought with another smile. _Too bad Yamcha thinks I'm smiling because he's approaching me. _Bulma gave her hand to Yamcha as soon as he came up to her and he led her to the dance floor. She glanced at Morgan for a second and saw her look at her with such anger that was hard to describe. _What a slut!_ She thought as she gave Morgan a smile. Bulma couldn't wait to finish dancing with Yamcha as soon as they started. He was not only boring her with sweet, fake talks, but he was also distracted by the other girls in the room while they were dancing.

"I'm so glad to be dancing with you right now. You have to be the most beautiful woman here tonight and I feel so lucky to have you in my arms right now. I hope you are enjoying this night as much as I am," Yamcha spoke.

"Oh yes! This is such a fun night. I'm glad that you are enjoying it. Have you met some nice people?" Bulma asked innocently.

"Yes, there are many nice people here. I met Morgan earlier and she is a really nice young lady, but not as nice as you," He added with another smile.

"Thank you. That is awfully nice of you to say," She replied, trying her best to fake another smile. It was beginning to be difficult to smile. She was getting annoyed and Morgan was the last person she wanted to talk about. Bulma looked around the room as they danced. She saw Vegeta finally walk back in from the garden and she couldn't help but laugh to herself. He had looked so confused when she leaned in and the look on his face after she left him was priceless. He was too shocked and couldn't move. She remembered laughing to herself all the way back to the ballroom. She watched as he slowly approached them. This was the time to really annoy him. Bulma turned to Yamcha and asked him to walk with her outside. Hearing her request, Yamcha's face lit up and he agreed to take her. Before he could take her hand to lead the way, Vegeta quickly took her hand instead.

"Don't worry, Yamcha, right? I'll take her instead," Vegeta spoke as he led Bulma away. Before Bulma could even react to the situation, she was already halfway across the ballroom and almost out the door.

"What do you think you are doing?" Bulma asked angrily. "I wanted to walk with Yamcha, not you. Why did you interrupt us?"

"Trust me, you would not want to be alone with Yamcha," Vegeta replied.

"I'd rather be alone with Yamcha than be alone with you," Bulma spoke. They were outside again. This was not what she wanted to happen. Vegeta had taken control of the situation and she didn't like that.

"Why are you being so persistent?" Bulma asked.

"I want you to be my wife. Is that so much to ask?" Vegeta answered as he looked into her eyes.

"That is a lot to ask. I don't know you and I don't want to know you. I don't want to be a wife. I don't want to get married. Can't you understand that?" Bulma asked again.

"Then why even bother with Yamcha?" Vegeta questioned her as he pulled her closer.

"Because…because he is someone you could never be," Bulma said slowly. She was taken aback by his forwardness, but she couldn't help but like it. She like how he felt against her. His body was built and he felt good to be pressed up against. Suddenly, Vegeta pulled her even closer and flew up into the sky. Bulma started to scream. "PUT ME DOWN! PLEASE, PUT ME DOWN!"

"Calm down woman, I'm not going to make you fall. Why don't you relax and enjoy the view?" Vegeta spoke as Bulma realized that he was right. The way he held her made her feel secure. She knew that he wouldn't let her fall. She decided to take his suggestion and look at her surroundings. Looking up, the stars seemed closer, but yet still far away. She looked down at Capsule Corp. and saw the lights within the ballroom. The night was peaceful and the wind felt nice against her skin. She looked down again to admire the city she lived in. From up there, it seemed so small. She didn't know how to explain the feeling of being up in the sky, but she enjoyed being up there. It took her awhile to realize what was happening though.

"Wait, how the hell are we flying?" Bulma asked curiously.

"Well, I was going to tell you my secret, but you left me before I could even finish. Have you heard of the saiyan race before?" He asked.

"Of course, I've been told about them. Is it true then? Are you really a saiyan?" Bulma asked excitedly.

"Yes, I am Prince of all Saiyans," Vegeta said proudly with a smirk on his face.

"Oh, so you are Prince of two saiyans, right? I mean, there's your father who is King and then there's Goku and his father. So, I guess that's kind of cool…." Bulma replied as she started to laugh at how ridiculous it sounded. As soon as she finished, Bulma felt Vegeta release her a little bit and she started to scream. "What are you doing?" She asked frighteningly.

"How dare you make fun of me?" Vegeta responded as he released more of her.

"Wow, I am sorry. Jeez…it was only a joke," She spoke as she felt him pull her closer to him again. "Thanks, I didn't want to die."

Vegeta couldn't help but laugh. "Aren't you afraid?" He asked as he looked down at her.

"Why would I be? You wouldn't hurt me. If you really wanted to, you would've hurt everyone a long time ago. I am not afraid of you," She answered. She noticed that they were slowly flying back down to her garden. They were a few feet from the ground and she held on tighter to Vegeta because she didn't want to fall. She looked up to see his face and couldn't help but admire how handsome he looked in the dark. Vegeta slowly leaned down and kissed her. Bulma was surprised, but didn't fight back. He is the first guy she's ever kiss and she didn't want to freak out and embarrass them both. She kissed him back naturally and was surprised at how easy it really was. She felt his tongue reach into her mouth and she couldn't help but kiss him harder. She felt her feet touch the ground, but continued to kiss him without caring. She loved the way he moved his arms around her back and wanted to kiss him forever. Before she knew it, he pulled away and smirked.

"Are you in love yet?" He asked as he let go of their intimate embrace.

"No. The question is are you? Don't you see? I led you to believe I was interested. I kissed you to make you see what you can't ever have again. I can never fall in love with you. You just aren't the guy for me. I hope you enjoyed every part of tonight because I can't see us ever doing something like that again. Have a nice night, Vegeta," Bulma responded seriously. She watched as his facial expression changed. It looked like she had hurt him, but she couldn't tell. Not wanting to continue their awkward conversation, she turned away and headed back inside with a huge grin on her face. _Wow that was amazing. He is a really good kisser. I can't wait to tell Chi-Chi all about it. But, I hope I didn't hurt him too much. I just wanted him to see who was in control…that's all. What a night. Vegeta…could it be that I can fall for you? You must never know that there is a possibility. But, he needs to stop doing things like that. A girl can really fall for him. What if it's not true? What if he is playing me? No, he won't win my heart. I can't let him because he might not really like me at all. Duty comes first after all. _Bulma sighed as another suitor headed her way. "Here we go again," She said quietly to herself.


	6. Chapter 6

**First Comes Duty, Then Comes Love**

**Chapter Six**

"Last night was so much fun! Goku is the sweetest man I have ever met," Chi-Chi said dreamily as she twirled around the room in her new floral dress.

"Yes, last night was interesting indeed," Bulma responded. She had just finished getting dress and was now brushing her hair. Today, she decided to wear a very short, yellow strapless dress. She was told last night by her father that there would be a picnic around lunch time. Bulma knew many of her suitors from last night would be present at the picnic and she wanted to look her best. _Ok, so maybe this short dress might be pushing it. _Bulma thought as she giggled quietly to herself.

"Bulma, you look amazing in that dress. That color suits you. Are you dressing to impress a certain Prince?" Chi-Chi asked with a smirk.

"OF COURSE NOT!" Bulma replied a little too loudly.

"Sorry! It was just a joke. Plus, I noticed you two were speaking to each other a lot last night," Chi-Chi spoke.

"Yes, we were speaking to each other, but I was also speaking to other guys as well," Bulma added. She placed the brush down and got up from her vanity to look out the window.

"Yes. I witness that as well. There were some weird ones and I almost felt bad for you," Chi-Chi said with a laugh. "Oh well, at least you had a good time. Today should be great too, especially because Goku will be there!"

"Oh, Chi-Chi...you and Goku must have hit it off really well last night. You're right though, today will be interesting," Bulma responded. "Let's head out. I saw some of the guests from last night walking over to the picnic area. It might be starting soon."

"Alright! Let's go!" Chi-Chi responded excitedly as the two of them made their way outside.

Vegeta could see the other guests gathering around the picnic area from where he was standing. Goku was already there. His friend could not stop babbling about Chi-Chi after the ball. Luckily, he was called over by his father. But then again, all his father could ask him about was his progress with Bulma. _Bulma…that woman is something else. If I'm not mistaken, she definitely enjoyed that intimate moment we shared. She's not as bad a kisser as I thought she would be. _Vegeta thought. _It doesn't matter anyway. I just need a wife. I'll have her whether she likes me or not. _Just then, Vegeta saw Bulma walking outside with Chi-Chi. There was something about her air that made him smirk. He admired the way she walked in her short dress. He caught her glance quickly at him before turning away blushing. Vegeta couldn't help but laugh to himself. _Perhaps, she already likes me. _He thought as he decided to make his way to the picnic.

As soon as Chi-Chi saw Goku, she immediately told Bulma that she would be right back and left her all by herself. Bulma just smiled and headed towards one of the picnic tables to grab a picnic blanket to set on the grass. There were so many different patterns to choose from. After deciding on a color she liked, she made her way to an open spot and set the blanket on the grass. She took a seat and looked around her. All the guests were already conversing with each other. She noticed Yamcha sitting right across from her and smiled as he gave her a wink and stood up. Just as he was about to reach her, she noticed his hesitation and wondered what could have caused it. Then she realized that Vegeta had made his way to her and took a seat right next to her. Before Bulma could say anything, Yamcha had already turned around and sat back down where he was.

"Aren't you looking quite beautiful today?" Vegeta commented with a smile as he leaned closer towards her.

Feeling his presence, Bulma's heart started to beat and she started feeling nervous. He was looking rather handsome today, but she couldn't let him see her admiring him.

"Thanks. I wish I could say the same for you," Bulma replied turning away from him.

"Ouch! You break my heart," Vegeta spoke as he held his hands against his heart.

Bulma wanted to laugh at how ridiculous he looked, but decided it would just provoke him.

"Excuse me, but there's someone I want to talk to. Enjoy the picnic," Bulma said as she got up from her seat and headed towards Yamcha. _It's time to be in control again. Let's see how jealous I can make him. _Bulma thought as she formed a smile and took a seat next to Yamcha, making sure she was extra close to him.

Vegeta watched as Bulma walked away. He really did enjoy watching her walk in that dress. He frowned as he watched her approach Yamcha. _Is she really trying to make me jealous? _Vegeta thought. _If she wants to play games with me, then I'll be happy to play as well. _Just then, Vegeta saw Morgan and decided to talk to her. She had reached him first before he even tried to get up. _This one is making this way too easy for me._ He thought as he acknowledged her presence.

"You are looking way too delicious right now, your majesty. Are you sure you don't want to get out of here and have some fun?" Morgan asked flirtatiously as she took a seat next to him and leaned over towards him. Bulma may have had a short dress on, but she at least looked classy. Morgan's short dress, on the other hand, made her look like a hooker.

Vegeta laughed in response to her comment and checked to see if Bulma was watching them. Sure enough, she looked a little upset when she occasionally glanced in their direction. "Morgan, you tempt me so much. One of these days, I might have to take your offer," Vegeta responded trying to sound believable. He would rather die than go off with Morgan.

"Oh…Prince Vegeta! You have no idea what I would do to you," Morgan added as she playfully touched his chest.

_That whore! _Bulma thought as she watched Morgan caress Vegeta. _Who does she think she is? Touching him like that…she has no right! He's here for ME, not her. I'll show that bitch. _Bulma was feeling upset. _Wait, why should I care? It's not like I intend to fall in love and find a husband. But still…I don't like her on him like that._ Bulma was about to get up from her seat and walk over there when she heard her father speak.

"I hope you are all enjoying the picnic. We have a game set up for everyone today. It will be a scavenger hunt. You will all be paired up. The exception is Bulma. She will draw a name out of this basket to see which lucky gentlemen will be her partner. Bulma dear, will you please come here and draw a name?" Dr. Briefs spoke softly as he motioned Bulma to come up.

Bulma stood up from her seat and slowly made her way to her father. _Please don't let me be stuck with someone I don't want to be stuck with._ She thought as she pulled a name out of the basket and handed it to her father.

Dr. Briefs slowly unrolled the paper and read the name out loud to the crowd. "Bulma's lucky partner is…Yamcha!"

_Oh great. Well, it could've have been worse. I could've been stuck with Vegeta. But…being stuck with Vegeta would've been more interesting. _Bulma thought. She smiled as she saw Yamcha jump up from his seat with excitement. She looked over at Vegeta to see his reaction, but his stare was blank. Morgan, fortunately, had given them a little space. Bulma waited patiently as her father named off the other partners.

"Goku, you and Chi-Chi will be partners. Prince Vegeta….you have been paired up with Morgan," Dr. Briefs said. "And that concludes all the partners. I will hand each pair an envelope listing the rules and your first clue. The first team to come back with the item will be the winner." Everyone slowly gathered around Dr. Briefs to pick up their envelope. Vegeta made his way right next to Bulma and bumped into her on purpose. "I'm sorry. I hope you enjoy your hunt. I think Morgan and I will have a little bit too much fun together. She told me that she could do things to me that no other woman can. I wonder what that means, but I can't wait to find out." Vegeta said quickly as he smiled at her and made his way towards a smiling Morgan.

Bulma gave Morgan an evil stare before making her way to Yamcha. _She better not do anything with Vegeta. Bulma, shut up. You don't care, remember?_ She thought as she mentally slapped herself. She didn't want to imagine Morgan kissing Vegeta's lips. She didn't want to imagine his strong arms wrapped around her. Bulma's thoughts were interrupted by Yamcha.

"Are you ready to win partner? This should be really fun. The first clue sounds like it's leading us somewhere in Capsule Corp? Let's go inside and see," Yamcha spoke excitedly. Bulma nodded her head and forced a smile. Yamcha was the last person she wanted to be with. She sighed as she watched Vegeta and Morgan walk off together towards the garden area.

"Yamcha, I believe you read that clue wrong. It sounds more like it's in the garden area. Let's go!" Bulma said quickly as she grabbed his arm and led him towards the garden. She didn't want to lose sight of Vegeta and Bulma. _There is no way I'm going to let that whore touch Vegeta. _She thought as she caught sight of them.

Vegeta turned around and was surprised to see Bulma and Yamcha behind them.

"What are you two doing here?" Vegeta asked with curiosity. _This is interesting. Perhaps, Bulma is feeling a little jealous and couldn't help but see what Morgan and I are about to do. _He thought with a look of disgust on his face.

"Well, we think the second clue is here. So, don't mind us," Bulma replied as she walked passed Vegeta and pretended to look for something by the fountain.

"Bulma, I really think the second clue is inside Capsule Corp. and not here," Yamcha spoke up making his way towards Bulma.

"Yamcha, why don't we speed things up a bit and have you go check Capsule Corp. while I finish searching here. We can meet back up in half an hour. I want to win, so why not split up so that we can cover more ground?" Bulma suggested, hoping Yamcha would be stupid enough to agree. "Plus, I think this first clue could mean two things. If it's not in this fountain, then it might be in the Jacuzzi room at my house. But…it might be hard to search around there because I heard some of the other ladies who aren't participating in this game have decided to relax in there," Bulma added.

"OH! Well, that is a really good idea. Splitting up and covering more ground, I mean. Don't worry..err..I'm sure I'll be able to search without running into any problems. I'll see you in 30 minutes!" Yamcha said excitedly as he waved goodbye to everyone and ran towards Capsule Corp. _What a pig. I'm glad it worked though. _Bulma thought to herself. _Now, I need to get rid of Morgan. But, how?_

"Vegeta, it's so hot…and I'm feeling tired. How about we head inside and search the bedrooms for clues," Morgan suggested as she took a seat next to the fountain. Seeing this as an opportunity, Bulma pretended to stumble forward and pushed Morgan into the fountain. She watched happily as Morgan fell into the water.

"I'm so sorry! I just fell out of balance. I really didn't mean to. Oh, now you are all soaked. Why don't you go and get a change. You don't want to be stuck out here wet. You can catch a cold," Bulma explained, trying to sound as caring as she could. Vegeta watched with curiously from afar. _What is she trying to achieve?_

"OH NO! I AM SOAKED! WATCH WHERE YOU ARE GOING NEXT TIME!" Morgan shouted angrily as she stepped out of the fountain. "Vegeta, I'm so sorry. But, I need to change. I'll see you later," She spoke as she walked passed him and made her way back to Capsule Corp.

_Mission accomplished! _Bulma thought happily as she turned to face Vegeta.

"You are good. Now why would you try so hard to get me all to yourself?" Vegeta asked.

"Didn't you see? It was an accident. Jeez! Now, let me finish searching for the next clue," Bulma replied as she turned around and bent over to check underneath the statue for a clue.

Vegeta admired the view and smirked. _This one is playing too many games with me._ He thought as he slowly walked toward her. "Are you finding anything?" He asked as he bent over to see what she was looking for. Bulma turned her head and saw his face closed to hers. She blushed and looked away, hating herself for it. Vegeta placed his hand on her face and forced her to look at him. He leaned closer. Bulma closed her eyes expecting a kiss, but realized that he didn't make the move. When she opened her eyes, she saw him smirking at her.

"I'm sorry. Did you think I was going to kiss you? I'm not that easy. But you, on the other hand, are," Vegeta said as he moved away from her, smiling. Bulma stared at him, shocked and upset. He had just called her easy. Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her face. She quickly wiped her tears away and spoke, "I am not easy. I just thought…that you really did like me and were messing with Morgan to make me jealous. I didn't know that it was true. You are just like Morgan and even Yamcha. I was wrong about you and now I know that you are someone I could never love." She gave him a sad face before turning away and running towards Capsule Corp.

Vegeta stared at her. Her reaction was not what he expected. He didn't mean to hurt her feelings. He thought it was all part of the game. Apparently, the game was over and he had crossed the line.


	7. Chapter 7

**First Comes Duty, Then Comes Love**

**Chapter Seven**

Bulma wiped the tears that had formed on her face as she ran towards Capsule Corp. She looked back to make sure he wasn't following her. _How stupid of me. Why would I tell him all that? Stupid! How embarrassing. _She thought as she turned her head back and ran into Vegeta.

"What the hell? I thought you were still back there, how are you right here?" Bulma asked in shocked.

"I believe you are underestimating Saiyans, especially the Prince of them all," Vegeta answered with a smirk. "Oh, we're quick…"

"I bet you are," Bulma replied with a small smirk of her own.

"You are quite the comedian," Vegeta spoke.

Bulma eyes were dry and she had almost forgotten about what had just happened, until Vegeta reminded her of what she had said.

"So…woman…you didn't like me messing with Morgan to make you jealous, huh? Yet you talk to that blasted bastard Yamcha to make me jealous. Perhaps we are both the same," Vegeta said.

"Perhaps we are, but I'm tired of games. It doesn't matter anyway. Your duty to your father is to find a wife and my duty to my father is to find a husband," Bulma said and then added. "Though I do not want to…Don't you see? You are just wasting your time. I've realized that love is hard to find and I can't see myself with anyone here. The only difference between our duties is that I can't fulfill it because I want…no I need to be in love before I ever marry. So…no more kissing…or teasing each other with fake kisses."

"Don't you like to be teased, woman?" Vegeta asked, a smirk forming on his face.

"Stop calling me woman. My name is Bulma. B-U-L-M-A!" Bulma answered with frustration. "And no, I don't want to be teased anymore. No more games. It just gets confusing. So listen, if you want to kiss me, then kiss me. And if I want to kiss you, then I'll kiss you. I'm giving you permission. Who said we have to be in love to do that. It's just a kiss. Nothing more. So…kiss me! I know you want to.

Bulma looked up into Vegeta's face and was taken by surprised because he set one of his hands on her cheek and kissed her. Before she could say anything, he was gone. All she could see was a small black figure in the air flying further away. _What just happened? _She thought as she continued her way back to Capsule Corp. to find Yamcha.

_What the hell is wrong with me? Kissing that woman like that and then flying away like a fool. _Vegeta thought angrily. _This duty thing is ridiculous. I don't need a wife. I should be able to live my life as I want to…a free man with no obligations. After all, I am Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyans. Perhaps, it's time to have a talk with father._

Vegeta turned around and headed back to Capsule Corp. to find his father, hoping he wouldn't have to run into Bulma anytime soon.

As soon as Bulma entered her home, she headed straight for the Jacuzzi room knowing well that Yamcha would still be there. Just as she expected, Yamcha was nowhere near looking like he was searching for other clues. He was actually in the Jacuzzi with his arms around two ladies. Right when he saw Bulma enter the room, he jumped right out and started apologizing.

"Bulma! I didn't expect you to be here so soon. I was searching for the next clue and the ladies said it might be in the water. I was hesitant at first, but I got in to check and that's when you came in," Yamcha started babbling.

Bulma could only stare at him in disgust. "Well, did you find it?"

"Find what?" Yamcha asked confusingly.

"The next clue…" Bulma replied, wanting so badly to call him a retard.

"Oh…the clue…. Well, no it wasn't in there. Shall we search for it somewhere else? You know…somewhere more private? It is kind of busy in here," Yamcha added with a smile.

"Whatever," Bulma wasn't in the mood. She waited for Yamcha to put his shirt back on and then the two of them headed to find the next clue. In fact, she didn't even care about the scavenger hunt at all. She just wanted to find Chi-Chi and talk to her about Vegeta. He was confusing her and giving her mixed feelings. She didn't understand why he would just kiss and leave. She didn't want to play games with him and she hoped she got her point across. The games were fun, but it would've gotten old eventually. _I wish I knew what he was thinking. Why would he just fly off like that before I could even question him? _Bulma wondered.

"Father, may I speak to you?" Vegeta asked as he made his way inside the room his father was staying in.

"What is it now, Vegeta?" King Vegeta replied with a sigh.

"It is about this wife situation. Must I really find a wife now? Why can't I wait 2 or 3 more years? Why now?" Vegeta spoke.

"Because it is the way our old world was. Our sons are to be married at your age, no questions asked. If you are not married by that time, the tradition is that you are kicked out of the family and you will lose your title. I want you to know that I follow our Saiyan tradition heavily," King Vegeta answered as he turned to face his son. "Now…you must fulfill your duty. You are my only son and heir. We must continue the royal Vegeta family line."

"As you wish, father," Vegeta said before walking out the door. _That didn't go as I had planned. _He thought. He was about to head back to his room when he heard Morgan calling his name.

"Vegeta, oh Vegeta," Morgan shouted as she flagged him down. "I'm all changed now. Let's find the next clue. Or…would you rather we do something else," She asked flirtatiously.

"No. Let's find the next clue. I plan to win," Vegeta replied.

"Well jeez…you don't need to get all upset. Let's go then," Morgan said. Vegeta led the way and was relieved when he saw Goku and Chi-Chi.

"Kakarot! Have you found the clues?" Vegeta asked.

"Why yes, Vegeta. Chi-Chi and I have been having so much fun and now we are on a roll. We have the last clue and now we are looking for the item," Goku answered happily.

"Don't tell him too much, Goku…or he might just beat us," Chi-Chi added.

"What makes you think we wouldn't just follow you?" Vegeta said.

"That's smart, Vegeta. But, that would be considered cheating. You should find the clues on your own. It's rather fun when you have great company," Goku spoke as he smiled at Chi-Chi. Chi-Chi couldn't help but smile back. "Well, we are off then. Good luck guys!" Goku spoke as he waved Vegeta and Morgan off.

"Kakarot…hold on," Vegeta said quickly. But it was too late, Goku and Chi-Chi already started to walk away and nothing was going to make them turn back. "Damn," Vegeta muttered under his breath.

"Hey Vegeta…look…it's that stupid woman Bulma walking towards here with Yamcha," Morgan said pointing towards them.

_That's just great. _Vegeta thought to himself.

"Hi guys," Yamcha spoke happily. Bulma tried to turn a different way, but Yamcha grabbed a hold of her hand and pulled her towards Vegeta and Morgan.

Vegeta raised an eyebrow when he saw the two of them holding hands. Seeing this, Bulma quickly let go of Yamcha's hand and spoke, "How's the search coming along for you guys?" Bulma asked politely. She hated Morgan and was annoyed that she had to run into her again.

"The search is going great for the two of us. You must be slowing poor Yamcha down. It's a shame that he had you as his partner," Morgan answered with a smile.

"Excuse me?" Bulma replied with rage filling up inside her.

"You heard me, stupid girl," Morgan answered back.

Bulma raised one of her hands and slapped Morgan hard across the face. "Don't you ever talk to me like that in my home? You are a guest here…and I can have you kicked out anytime that I want. You stupid whore," Bulma said angrily.

Morgan was taken aback by the impact and raised her hand as well to slap Bulma back. But before she even reached Bulma's face, she was stopped by Vegeta. He let go of her hand as he heard Dr. Briefs approaching.

"What is going on here?" Dr. Briefs spoke as he made his way towards their group.

"Your daughter slapped me for no reason. She was upset that Vegeta and I were progressing and wanted us to tell her where to find the clues," Morgan spoke immediately.

"That's a lie!" Bulma responded as she turned to her father. "She was the…" She was cut off by her father.

"Bulma, she is a guest of this house. We don't get into fights with our guests. Plus, it doesn't matter anyhow. Chi-Chi and Goku found the item and we are announcing the winners at the garden area. Why don't you all come and join the fun and forget that this ever happened," Dr. Briefs spoke calmly. "Well, hurry on now," He added as he gestured them to follow.

As the group followed Dr. Briefs, Bulma eyed Morgan with anger. Morgan eyed her back and formed a smirk on her face. "I guess your daddy didn't even want to listen to you. You can't kick me out of here after all," Morgan whispered to her.

"How's your face? It's looking a little red," Bulma whispered back with a smile. Morgan gave her an angry look before turning away. Bulma looked at Vegeta next. "Why did you stop her?" She asked quietly.

"We wouldn't want to ruin your face, now would we?" He answered back.

"Bulma, you weren't slowing me down and you shouldn't have slapped Morgan in the face. She didn't deserve all that," Yamcha suddenly whispered to her. Bulma looked back at Yamcha and told him to shut up. Vegeta chuckled as he heard this.

The group finally made their way to the garden away. Goku and Chi-Chi were up on a platform smiling and giggling with each other. Dr. Briefs left the group and made his way to them to announce that they have won. Bulma walked away from the group and made her way to the front. Vegeta followed her and left Yamcha and Morgan together.

"Why are you following me?" Bulma asked as she squeezed herself between two people. "And why did you kiss me and fly away before I could even speak?"

"First of all, I'm not following you. I just want to hear better, so I want to be up front. Second, you gave me permission to kiss you when I want, so I did. Is that going to be a problem? Because, I might just kiss you whenever I get the chance," Vegeta answered.

"Whatever. That doesn't answer why you flew away right after," Bulma said as she finally made it to the front. "You probably don't even know why you did it that's why you do not have an answer." _Now why did I have to tell him that he could kiss me if he wanted to kiss me? I wonder how seriously he took that. It sounds like he took that to heart. Oh well…it's just a kiss and I kind of like it. Kisses do not lead to marriage… _Bulma thought to herself as she waited for his reply.

_True. I don't know why I flew away. Perhaps, I didn't want to stay to hear her reaction. Oh well, a good thing came out of our talk. It seems I have been granted unlimited kisses. This should be very interesting. _Vegeta thought. He was about to respond to Bulma, but Dr. Briefs started to speak.

"Thank you all for participating in our Scavenger Hunt today. As you all know, the winners are Goku and Chi-Chi. Congratulations to them. Their award is a trip to the most expensive, luxurious hotel in the city….Hotel Vegeta. Let's thank King Vegeta for offering such a fine prize to the lucky winners. Now, the best part of this is that each of the winners can pick one person to take with them. Goku…Chi-Chi…who would you like to bring with you?" Dr. Briefs asked.

"Oh, that's easy. I would like my best friend Bulma to go with me!" Chi-Chi answered. Bulma smiled at her friend.

"And you, Goku, who would you like to bring?" Dr. Briefs asked.

"Vegeta, of course!" Goku replied.

"Then it is settled. The group who will spend a night at Hotel Vegeta tomorrow will be Goku, Vegeta, Chi-Chi, and my lovely daughter Bulma. I hope you all are excited!" Dr. Briefs said.

Bulma could only look at Vegeta after hearing this. _Why am I not surprised? _She thought to herself as he looked right back at her.

_Unlimited kisses….she might regret saying that. _Vegeta thought to himself, excited at the thought. Tomorrow is starting to look like an eventful day for him and he couldn't wait.


End file.
